Frank Loesser

Composer, Lyricist

About

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Also Known As

Francis Henry Loesser

Birth Place

New York City, New York, USA

Born

June 29, 1910

Died

July 28, 1969

Cause of Death

Lung Cancer

Biography

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Prolific Hollywood wordsmith turned tunesmith who crossed over from Tin Pan Alley to Shubert Alley. As a Hollywood songwriter during the 1930s and 40s, Loesser penned the breezy lyrics for such standards as "The Boys in the Backroom" (with composer Frederick Hollander), "Small Fry" and "Two Sleepy People" (with Hoagy Carmichael), "I Don't Want to Walk Without You" (with Jule Styne) and "...

Filmography

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Red, Hot and Blue (1949)

Priorities on Parade (1942)

Original Screenplay

Five Feet Apart (2019)

The Rules Don't Apply (2016)

The Finest Hours (2016)

While We're Young (2015)

Photos & Videos

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Guys And Dolls (1955) -- (Movie Clip) Adelaide

Neptune's Daughter (1949) -- (Original Trailer)

Family & Companions

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Lynn Garland

Wife

Singer, Broadway producer. Married in 1935; divorced in 1957; produced Loesser's musical, "The Most Happy Fella" (1956).

Jo Sullivan

Wife

Singer, actor. Married from April 29, 1958 until his death in 1969; starred as Rosabella/Amy in original production of "The Most Happy Fella" (1956).

Bibliography

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"A Most Remarkable Fella: Frank Loesser and the Guys and Dolls in His Life: A Portrait by His Daughter"

Susan Loesser, Donald I. Fine, Inc. (1993)

Notes

There is an official Web site located at www.frankloesser.com

Biography

Prolific Hollywood wordsmith turned tunesmith who crossed over from Tin Pan Alley to Shubert Alley. As a Hollywood songwriter during the 1930s and 40s, Loesser penned the breezy lyrics for such standards as "The Boys in the Backroom" (with composer Frederick Hollander), "Small Fry" and "Two Sleepy People" (with Hoagy Carmichael), "I Don't Want to Walk Without You" (with Jule Styne) and "They're Either Too Young or Too Old" (with Arthur Schwartz). On Broadway from the late 1940s through the 60s, he displayed a knack for conveying characters and their vernacular by writing both the clever words and tuneful music for classic shows of Broadway's golden age: the 1948 Ray Bolger vehicle "Where's Charley" (filmed in 1952), the colorful 1950 Damon Runyon gambling fantasy, "Guys and Dolls" (filmed in 1955), and the Pulitzer prize-winning satire "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" (1967).

Loesser's musicals which did not make it to Hollywood include the near-operatic "The Most Happy Fella" (1956) and the whimsical "Greenwillow" (1960). One his richest scores was an original musical written directly for film, the charming fictional biography "Hans Christian Anderson" (1952) which introduced such classics as "Thumbelina," "Anywhere I Wander" and "Wonderful Copenhagen."

Filmography

Cast (Feature Film)

Red, Hot and Blue (1949)

Writer (Feature Film)

Priorities on Parade (1942)

Original Screenplay

Music (Feature Film)

Five Feet Apart (2019)

The Rules Don't Apply (2016)

The Finest Hours (2016)

While We're Young (2015)

I Saw the Light (2015)

Born to Be Blue (2015)

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015)

Set Fire to the Stars (2015)

A Long Way Down (2014)

Can a Song Save Your Life? (2014)

Think Like a Man Too (2014)

Glass Chin (2014)

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

The Master (2012)

This Is 40 (2012)

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Jack and Jill (2011)

127 Hours (2010)

Julie & Julia (2009)

Whatever Works (2009)

Four Christmases (2008)

The Savages (2007)

Reign Over Me (2007)

American Dreamz (2006)

Superman Returns (2006)

Jackass: Number Two (2006)

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

Song ("I'Ve Never Been In Love Before")

Mona Lisa Smile (2003)

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001)

Domestic Disturbance (2001)

The Love Letter (1999)

Man on the Moon (1999)

8 1/2 Women (1999)

Song ("On A Slow Boat To China")

Snow Falling on Cedars (1999)

The Big Lebowski (1998)

The Slums of Beverly Hills (1998)

Celebrity (1998)

The Faculty (1998)

Dance With Me (1998)

Song ("Let'S Get Lost")

A Bronx Tale (1993)

Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)

Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)

Rich in Love (1992)

Song ("I Hear Music")

The Long Day Closes (1992)

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992)

School Ties (1992)

A League of Their Own (1992)

Leap of Faith (1992)

Company Business (1991)

The Marrying Man (1991)

All I Want for Christmas (1991)

For the Boys (1991)

Stepping Out (1991)

The Freshman (1990)

Crimes And Misdemeanors (1989)

Let It Ride (1989)

Let's Get Lost (1988)

September (1987)

Radio Days (1987)

Heartburn (1986)

Lost in America (1985)

Summer Rental (1985)

Racing With The Moon (1984)

Raggedy Man (1981)

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967)

Jazz Ball (1958)

The Party Crashers (1958)

Short Cut to Hell (1957)

Guys and Dolls (1955)

About Mrs. Leslie (1954)

Money from Home (1954)

Gunsmoke (1953)

Hans Christian Andersen (1952)

Where's Charley? (1952)

Flaming Feather (1952)

The Marrying Kind (1952)

With a Song in My Heart (1952)

Because of You (1952)

Dark City (1950)

Let's Dance (1950)

Neptune's Daughter (1949)

Roseanna McCoy (1949)

Red, Hot and Blue (1949)

I Walk Alone (1948)

On Our Merry Way (1948)

Miss Tatlock's Millions (1948)

The Perils of Pauline (1947)

Variety Girl (1947)

Behind City Lights (1945)

Her Lucky Night (1945)

You Came Along (1945)

Radio Stars on Parade (1945)

Jam Session (1944)

Moon Over Las Vegas (1944)

The Old Texas Trail (1944)

You Can't Ration Love (1944)

Christmas Holiday (1944)

Hail the Conquering Hero (1944)

See Here, Private Hargrove (1944)

Swing Your Partner (1943)

Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943)

Happy Go Lucky (1943)

Beyond the Blue Horizon (1942)

True to the Army (1942)

Tortilla Flat (1942)

Night in New Orleans (1942)

Little Joe, the Wrangler (1942)

Lost Canyon (1942)

This Gun for Hire (1942)

Sweater Girl (1942)

Seven Days' Leave (1942)

Priorities on Parade (1942)

The Forest Rangers (1942)

The Parson of Panamint (1941)

Hold Back the Dawn (1941)

Sis Hopkins (1941)

Stick to Your Guns (1941)

Sailors on Leave (1941)

Mr. Bug Goes to Town (1941)

Kiss the Boys Goodbye (1941)

Forced Landing (1941)

Caught in the Draft (1941)

Burma Convoy (1941)

Manpower (1941)

Man from Montana (1941)

Las Vegas Nights--"The Last Frontier Town" (1941)

Glamour Boy (1941)

Aloma of the South Seas (1941)

The Quarterback (1940)

A Night at Earl Carroll's (1940)

The Farmer's Daughter (1940)

Moon over Burma (1940)

Johnny Apollo (1940)

Seven Sinners (1940)

Dancing on a Dime (1940)

Youth Will Be Served (1940)

Those Were the Days! (1940)

Buck Benny Rides Again (1940)

Saint Louis Blues (1939)

Heritage of the Desert (1939)

Hawaiian Nights (1939)

Island of Lost Men (1939)

The Gracie Allen Murder Case (1939)

Man About Town (1939)

Some Like It Hot (1939)

Cafe Society (1939)

The Llano Kid (1939)

Destry Rides Again (1939)

Cocoanut Grove (1938)

Sing You Sinners (1938)

The Texans (1938)

Freshman Year (1938)

Stolen Heaven (1938)

Men with Wings (1938)

College Swing (1938)

Spawn of the North (1938)

Blossoms on Broadway (1937)

Walter Wanger's Vogues of 1938 (1937)

Fight for Your Lady (1937)

The Hurricane (1937)

Postal Inspector (1936)

Flying Hostess (1936)

Yellowstone (1936)

Mysterious Crossing (1936)

The Man I Marry (1936)

Cast (Special)

Heart & Soul: The Life and Music of Frank Loesser (2006)

Writer (Special)

The Most Happy Fella (1980)

Book As Source Material

Music (Special)

Steve Wozniak: The Wizard of Apple (2000)

Guys and Dolls Off the Record (1992)

An Evening With Maria Ewing (1990)

The Most Happy Fella (1980)

Baryshnikov on Broadway (1980)

The Most Happy Fella (1980)

Special Thanks (Special)

The Most Happy Fella (1980)

Book As Source Material

Music (TV Mini-Series)

If These Walls Could Talk (1996)

Life Events

1931

First published lyric, for pop song "In Love With the Memory of You" (music by William Schuman)

1934

First hit song, "I Wish I Were Twins" (music by Joseph Meyer and Edgar De Lange)

1936

Contributed lyrics to Broadway revue, "The Illustrators Show" (music by Irving Actman), show ran only five performances

1937

Went to Hollywood; wrote first song, "The Moon of Manakoora" (music by Alfred Newman) which Dorothy Lamour sang in "The Hurricane"

1941

Wrote lyrics for song, "Jingle, Jangle, Jingle" for Paramount film, "Forest Rangers" (composer Joe Lilley)

1941

Composed music for first time for song, "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" after which he enlisted in the Army

1948

Wrote first Broadway score (both words and music) for "Where's Charley?"

1949

Film acting debut, as Hair-Do Lempke, a piano-loving racketeer in "Red, Hot and Blue" (also wrote songs)

1950

Formed Frank Music publishing company (date approximate)

1956

Co-wrote first libretto for "The Most Happy Fella" (also wrote music and lyrics)

Videos

Guys And Dolls (1955) -- (Movie Clip) Adelaide Frank Sinatra (as Nathan Detroit) with his one ballad, Frank Loesser's "Adelaide," sung to his fianceè (Vivian Blaine), which he chose to sing not-fully in character, in the Samuel Goldwyn production of Guys And Dolls, 1955, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.

Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943) -- (Movie Clip) They're Either Too Young Or Too Old Bette Davis (like all the Warner Bros. stars, donating her salary to the Hollywood Canteen she co-founded), delivers an original by Arthur Schwartz and Frank Loesser which earned an Academy Award nomination and became a widely recorded hit, in the variety propaganda effort Thank Your Lucky Stars, 1943, Conrad Wiedell her dance partner.

Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943) -- (Movie Clip) That's What You Jolly Well Get The schtick for Errol Flynn (who like the other big names, donated his $50,000 salary to the armed services benefit Hollywood Canteen) for the wartime fundraiser show-within-a-show premise of the Warner Bros. propaganda feature is an original by Arthur Schwartz and Frank Loesser, staged by Leroy Prinz, in Thank Your Lucky Stars, 1943.

This Gun For Hire (1942) -- (Movie Clip) Now You See It... First appearance by Veronica Lake as singer-magician "Ellen," auditioning for night club operator and industrial spy Gates (Laird Cregar), song by Jacques Press and Frank Loesser, in This Gun For Hire, 1942.

Seven Days' Leave (1942) -- (Movie Clip) A Touch Of Texas G-I Johnny (Victor Mature), about to inherit big money on the condition that he marry a daughter of the Havelock-Allen family, with buddies Speak and Bitsy (Peter Lind Hayes, Arnold Stang) and lawyer Gildersleeve (Harold Peary) meets singing Mickey (Marcy McGuire, rehearsing a Jimmy McHugh/Frank Loesser tune with Freddy Martin’s group) and dishy Terry (Lucille Ball), in RKO’s Seven Days’ Leave, 1942.

Seven Days' Leave (1942) -- (Movie Clip) You Speak My Language With Les Brown’s band playing at a G-I sendoff, the three ex-member buddies (Peter Lind Hayes as “Speak,” singer Buddy Clark as himself and Victor Mature as trumpeter Johnny) are asked to join, along with Vic/Johnny’s gal, Mapy Cortes, leading in a Jimmy McHugh/Frank Loesser original, in RKO’s Seven Days’ Leave, 1942, choreography by Chuck Walters.

College Swing (1938) -- (Movie Clip) How'dja Like To Love Me? Just-introduced Martha Raye as Mabel, having just dropped her fake French persona, offering herself as a “Professor of Practical Romance,” for Bob Hope as Bud, who’s now in charge of staffing up the college, cueing an original tune by Burton Lane and Frank Loesser, in Paramount’s College Swing, 1938, starring George Burns and Gracie Allen.

College Swing (1938) -- (Movie Clip) Title Song (Betty Grable) Just the third scene and not essential to the narrative, at what must be the dining hall, an original tune for Paramount by Frank Loesser and Hoagy Carmichael finds Skinnay Ennis launching a duet with Betty Grable, who switches to Jackie Coogan for the dance, choreography by LeRoy Prinz, Raoul Walsh directing, in College Swing, 1938, starring George Burns, Gracie Allen and Bob Hope.

Hans Christian Andersen (1952) -- (Movie Clip) The King's New Clothes The original tale by the titular hero is in fact the "Emperor's" new clothes, but the tune by Frank Loesser is about a king, delivered by the famous 19th century Danish author as played by Danny Kaye, early in Samuel Goldwyn's Hans Christian Andersen, 1952.

Guys and Dolls (1955) -- (Movie Clip) The Oldest Established Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra) comiserates with pals Benny (Johnny Silver) and Nicely-Nicely (Stubby Kaye) who then join him in Frank Loesser's tune "The Oldest Established," in Guys and Dolls, 1955.

Guys And Dolls (1955) -- (Movie Clip) If I Were A Bell Big treat for Jean Simmons fans, as "Sergeant" Sarah Brown, with gambler Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando) after their night out in Havana, Frank Loesser's If I Were A Bell, both actors recording their own vocals, from Guys And Dolls, 1955.

Guys And Dolls (1955) -- (Movie Clip) I'll Know The first of the famous Marlon Brando vocals, as gambler "Sky Masterson," with Salvation Army sister Sarah (Jean Simmons, also doing her own singing) considering the romantic future with Frank Loesser's I'll Know, in Guys And Dolls, 1955.

Neptune's Daughter (1949) -- (Original Trailer) A polo player romances a bathing suit designer in MGM's Neptune's Daughter (1949), starring Esther Williams.

Seven Days' Leave - (Original Trailer) A G.I. (Victor Mature) must marry an heiress (Lucille Ball) whom he's never met to get $100,000, all in a Seven Days' Leave (1942).

Guys And Dolls - (Original Trailer) Ed Sullivan hosts the trailer for the movie version of the Broadway musical Guys And Dolls (1955) starring Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra.

Thank Your Lucky Stars - (Original Trailer) An Eddie Cantor look-alike organizes an all-star show to help the war effort in Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943) with guest appearances by Bette Davis, Errol Flynn & Humphrey Bogart.

Perils Of Pauline, The - (Original Trailer) Betty Hutton plays silent serial heroine Pearl White in The Perils Of Pauline (1947). Songs by Frank Loesser (Guys & Dolls).

Red, Hot and Blue - (Original Trailer) Betty Hutton and Victor Mature star in a musical about a showgirl and a gangster with songs by Frank Loesser (Guys and Dolls).

Family

Henry Loesser

Father

Piano teacher; accompanist. German-born; married to Bertha Ehrlich from 1892 until her death in 1906; married her sister Julia in 1906; died on July 20, 1926.

Julia Loesser

Mother

Arthur Loesser

Half-Brother

Concert pianist, critic. Older; became the head of the piano division of the Cleveland Institute of Music; born in 1894; mother Bertha Ehrlich.

Grace Loesser

Sister

Older; born in December 1906.

Susan Loesser

Daughter

Author. Mother, Lynn Garland.

John Loesser

Son

Florida theater operator. Mother, Lynn Garland.

Emily Loesser

Daughter

Actor, singer. Mother, Jo Sullivan.

Hannah Loesser

Daughter

Artist. Mother, Jo Sullivan.

Companions

Lynn Garland

Wife

Singer, Broadway producer. Married in 1935; divorced in 1957; produced Loesser's musical, "The Most Happy Fella" (1956).

Jo Sullivan

Wife

Singer, actor. Married from April 29, 1958 until his death in 1969; starred as Rosabella/Amy in original production of "The Most Happy Fella" (1956).

Bibliography

"A Most Remarkable Fella: Frank Loesser and the Guys and Dolls in His Life: A Portrait by His Daughter"

Susan Loesser, Donald I. Fine, Inc. (1993)

Notes

There is an official Web site located at www.frankloesser.com

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